Wise Co. Drill to Test Emergency Responders

PHILADELPHIA (June 18, 2008) -- The U. S. E.P.A. and the Wise Co. (Va.) Emergency Operations are teaming up to sponsor a two-day emergency response drill in the Co. June 21-22.

The exercise, which will focus on responding to a potential terrorist attack, will examine how local, state and federal emergency response agencies respond to manage a multi-scenario emergency.

Wise Co. emergency responders have volunteered to participate in the exercise, including personnel from the Wise Co. HAZMAT Unit and Wise Co. Sherriff's Response Team. Other agencies participating include: Virginia Department of Emergency Management; Virginia Department of Health; Virginia State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Bomb Squad Technicians, and Counter-Terrorism and Criminal Interdiction; E.P.A. Criminal Investigations Division; E.P.A. Hazardous Location Cleanup Division; and the FBI.

Drills such as this, which is expected to include 50 to 100 participants, are valuable training tools for 1st response personnel and will help to develop, sustain and provide feedback on the proficiency in the tasks that make up critical emergency response operations. This is the 1st operational-based exercise co-sponsored by E.P.A. and Wise County.

For more information on EPA's involvement with emergency management, visit: http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/index.htm .

There are currently no comments for this story. Be the first to add a comment!
Click here to add a comment about this story.